Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• thirty-eight •

//song: Flesh and Bone - Black Math

Thank you to those who have participated in the poll I posted earlier this week! It was sooo close but it looks like Book 2, Saving the King of the Underworld, is everyone's favorite. Me, personally, it was book 1 ❤ !

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I was shocked by what Leah gave me to wear and in the end, I set it aside, placing it in the back of the closet.

It was too provocative for my taste but I understood what she meant by it. I remembered her suggestion and advice.

Flirt. Something I never did and didn't know how to do. I dreaded going to the Underworld even more now.

After showering and changing, I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. I looked as tired as I felt with shadows under my eyes and paler than usual skin. I ran my fingers through my hair at an attempt to tame the frizz and as I did, I dropped my glamour making it black again. I sighed, it still hadn't turned silver on its own again.

I applied a small amount of blush on my cheeks and, in a ridiculous effort to look less tired, eyeliner. I didn't want him to know what his bargain was doing to me. I didn't want him to know that I spent my nights fighting with myself to stay closer to Julian despite my body's protests.

I wanted to show him that I was more powerful than him. Not just magically but my will as well.

When it came time, I looked over my outfit one more time. A simple black dress, casual for a night out.

I spectered into the small living room with the deep colors of red and brown throughout. Kingstown was glowing with the warm nighttime lights. I wondered how a poet would describe the city as it slept under the blinking stars.

I reached for the curtain to pull it back to see more of the cobblestone streets when I heard him speak.

"Welcome." His voice was deep.

I turned fully to him and saw him bow at the hip. "My queen." When he looked up at me again, I noticed the hint of a smile on his lips.

He was amused.

Condescending, egotistical twerp.

"Well, then," I said coolly, trying to sound detached. "Let's get started."

Despite being a prince, Asmo's personal home was small. It reminded me of my own apartment when I had it. Quaint, personal with dark colors that looked very old world.

It was small and intimate and made me aware of every gesture I made and how close everything, including Asmo, was to me.

Which was why when a full glass of wine appeared next to me and a bourbon one next to him, it made it impossible to ignore.

I didn't move towards the wine glass I knew he spectered just for me, resisting the urge to make a smart ass remark. I heard him bite back a laugh. When I looked at him again, he was hiding a smile behind the short glass he put to his lips. "This will go a lot better for you if you cooperate."

Everything that Leah told me screeched to the front of my mind. I knew what she wanted me to do and why it was smart to play the game he started. A dark queen. He wanted a dark queen.

I bit back my anger and initial response of hurtling any insult at him. Instead, I spectered his drink from his hand to my own and walked languidly towards the couch.

Once seated on the cool leather, I watched him as I took a sip from his drink. "I'm waiting."

The liquid was warm and burned my throat. But just for Asmo's amused expression, I bit back the urge to cough.